复合题

Directions: There are 4 passages in this section. Each passage is followed by some questions or unfinished statements. For each of them there are four choices marked A., B., C. and D. You should decide on the best choice and write the corresponding letter on the Answer Sheet.

Passage One

I’m usually fairly skeptical about any research that concludes that people are either happier or unhappier or more or less certain of themselves than they were 50 years ago. While any of these statements might be true, they are practically impossible to prove scientifically. Still, I was struck by a report which concluded that today’s children are significantly more anxious than children in the 1950s. In fact, the analysis showed, normal children ages 9 to 17 exhibit a higher level of anxiety today than children who were treated for mental illness 50 years ago.

Why are America’s kids so stressed? The report cites two main causes: increasing physical isolation—brought on by high divorce rates and less involvement in community, among other things—and a growing perception that the world is a more dangerous place.

Given that we can’t turn the clock back, adults can still do plenty to help the next generation cope.

At the top of the list is nurturing（培育） a better appreciation of the limits of individualism. No child is an island. Strengthening social ties helps build communities and protect individuals against stress.

To help kids build stronger connections with others, you can pull the plug on TVs and computers.

Your family will thank you later. They will have more time for face-to-face relationships, and they will get more sleep.

Limit the amount of virtual（虚拟的） violence your children are exposed to. It’s not just video games and movies; children see a lot of murder and crime on the local news.

Keep your expectations for your children reasonable. Many highly successful people never attended Harvard or Yale.

Make exercise part of your daily routine. It will help you cope with your own anxieties and provide a good model for your kids. Sometimes anxiety is unavoidable. But it doesn’t have to ruin your life. 

单选题 The author thinks that the conclusions of any research about people’s state of mind are _____.
【正确答案】 D
【答案解析】根据第一段开头两句“I’m usually fairly skeptical about any research that concludes that people are either happier or unhappier or more or less certain of themselves than they were 50 years ago. While any of these statements might be true, they are practically impossible to prove scientifically”可知， 作者对一切涉及人类心智的调查持怀疑态度， 因为没办法证实或者证伪调查结果。 故选D。
单选题 What does the author mean when he says, “we can’t turn the clock back” (Para. 3)?
【正确答案】 B
【答案解析】根据句意推断可知， 此处让时光倒流指的是让社会回到过去那种不那么危险的时代， 根据四个选项可知， B更贴合题意。
单选题 According to an analysis, compared with normal children today, children treated as mentally ill 50 years ago_____.
【正确答案】 C
【答案解析】根据第一段最后一句“In fact, the analysis showed, normal children ages 9 to 17 exhibit a higher level of anxiety today than children who were treated for mental illness 50 years ago”， 可知现在9到17岁的孩子展现出的不安等级甚至比50年前被诊断为精神异常的孩子的不安等级还高。 因此C为正确答案。
单选题 The first and most important thing parents should do to help their children is _____.
【正确答案】 C
【答案解析】根据文章第四段最后一句“Strengthening social ties helps build communities and protect individuals against stress”可推知， 最重要的就是让孩子对社会和社区产生归属感， 能够有效减少孩子本人的心理压力。
单选题 What conclusion can be drawn from the passage?
【正确答案】 A
【答案解析】根据文章第三段内容“Strengthening social ties helps build communities and protect individuals against stress”， 可知， 作者认为孩子的焦虑情况可以采取合适的方法解决或者减缓。 因此A选项正确。